Roll up, roll up!
by FiredanceDragoon
Summary: Severus and Lucius are hunted by the Dark Lord and go to Dumbledore for help. Unfortunately, his idea of a hiding place isn’t what the were expecting.. NOT slash, no parings. Experimental story, please review.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Severus and Lucius are hunted by the Dark Lord and go to Dumbledore for help. Unfortunately, his idea of a hiding place isn't what the were expecting..

Albus Dumbledore looked up at the two nervously pacing men who were seemingly intent on wearing more holes in his carpet. He was rather fond of the carpet actually, although strictly speaking in possessing it he broke more than one ministry restriction - flying carpets were illegal after all. Still, he thought, it _is_ a particularly fine one, and it's age _did_ ensure it wouldn't require any exercise.

With a slight movement he returned his attention to the problem at hand. Namely, where in Merlins name Lucius and Severus could be hidden away from the attention of a rather irate Dark Lord. It was a difficult question, Tom did have spies everywhere, and it would hardly be safe to keep the two men at Hogwarts - even Severus was at risk of attack from the children of death eaters now that his and Lucius's spy status had been revealed.

Albus gave a small cough which sounded across the tense atmosphere like a shot, bringing the two pacing Slytherins to an abrupt halt, jet black and steely grey eyes fixed on him.

'Well Albus, any brainwaves?'

Lucius Malfoy, immaculate as ever in silver trimmed black velvet, retained his normal haughty airs, sounding seemingly indifferent. Severus Snape glanced at him, one slender black eyebrow artfully raising a fraction.

Dumbledore sighed

'There are many possibilities for hiding the pair of you, obviously here is not only unwise but far too obvious to the Dark Lord. As Sirius is residing at Grimmauld Place I think it better if you two were not there…'

He broke off to look pointedly at Snape, who was scowling fiercely at his enemy's name.

'Really Severus, you should try and get on with Sirius, you two are similar you know.'

Snape snorted in disgust.

'You have attempted to convince me of this point more times than I care to remember, and I refuse to even try to imagine what these similarities might be. Hmm, I can think of three, actually…'

He took on a thoughtful look, causing Lucius's eyebrows to disappear into his hair and Albus to sit straighter.

'Well my boy, name them, I was sure you would some day see the connections.'

Severus glared at the Headmaster and counted them off with long slender fingers.

'One: we are both male. Two: we are both wizards. Three: we both have black hair. Satisfied?'

Lucius snorted.

'Point, but this doesn't help us avoid the _tender_ attentions of the Dark Lord.'

Albus looked up.

'Quite. Well, at the moment there is only one possibility, and I cannot imagine either of you will like it. I will be hiding you in muggle Britain, under an old spell which conceals your magic from all but ourselves. A modification of the Fidelius charm, quite ingenious and little known. To any wizard, you will register as muggles, though your magical ability remains unaltered. You can still use magic at will.'

Both men looked wary. Snape broke in suddenly.

'So under this spell, our magic remains unaffected, but neither wizards nor muggles can see us using it?'

Albus nodded.

'That is correct. The enchantment itself is difficult to detect. Wand work, for example, will not register with a magical being who sees you, but your spells will take effect…'

Lucius interrupted.

'So a levitating charm for example would work, and be visible to wizards and muggles, but neither could trace it to its source.'

'Indeed, although discretion is always advisable. After all, the muggle community in which you will be living is noted for its observation skills. The adjustment will not be an easy one.'

Two sets of eyes narrowed at his words. If Dumbledore the eternal optimist believed that they would find it hard to fit in, it might prove closer to impossible.

Albus Dumbledore withdrew a long scroll of muggle paper from his desk drawer. The Slytherins eyed it suspiciously, noting the muggle tape on one corner and the elastic band securing it.

'Before I reveal to you your hiding place I think it only fair to inform you of some aspects you may not like.'

Two sets of raised eyebrows looked back above two identically suspicious expressions. This wasn't sounding good.

Dumbledore continued.

'You will be living in a community of thirty six muggles and various muggle animals. The thirty seventh member is a squib by the name of Octavius Carolli, he will be your contact with me. The company travels around, they move every week or so. There will be manual work involved, an you will be taught some skills to enable you to fit in adequately. The muggles believe you are there to protect them, and will be reserved but not unfriendly. You will have plenty of opportunity to practice those excellent quiddich reflexes…'

Lucius retained a look of cool curiosity, Severus however was putting two and two together and a look of dismay began to cross his pale features. The headmasters words triggered an old childhood memory. Not that he had been allowed to visit the place, thanks to his father, but he had regarded it with curiosity. His voice shook slightly.

'Albus, does this hiding place involve living in caravans?'

Malfoy looked disgusted.

'Caravans?' He sneered, 'aren't those dirty little muggle houses on wheels?'

Albus smiled.

'Not dirty, and not so very little anymore. When I was young they painted them brightly and pulled them with horses, but that was over a hundred years ago. These are modern and some would rival Malfoy Manor for luxury I believe.'

Lucius snorted, disbelieving.

Snape eyed the roll of paper Albus was twirling between his fingers, his dismay fading to horror. The headmaster caught the look and twinkled, unrolling the paper and spreading it flat before the two men. Brightly coloured illustrations surrounded large scrolling white text outlined in purple and gold. They gasped.

_Francisco's Carnival Circus_

'Albus, you have GOT to be joking!'

He was hiding them in a muggle _circus_?!!!!


	2. Chapter 2

Previous Chapter:

'_Albus, you have GOT to be joking!'_

_He was hiding them in a muggle __circus_?!!!!

Chapter Two

Several hours later, a muffled crack behind a telephone box in a secluded backstreet sent several local cats over garden walls. After a moment or three of silence, three tall figures materialized into view, or would have done had there been anyone to see them. Transferring his wand to his sleeve with an almost imperceptible movement, Lucius Malfoy glared at his surroundings as if they were themselves responsible for this situation. With an irritated twitch, he adjusted his black leather gloves and surreptitiously used the glass in the phone box to ensure his outfit was still immaculate. The reflection affirmed that he presented the very image of smart respectability in a long dark overcoat, dark trousers and shining shoes, his hair glamoured to appear auburn and severely tied in a long queue with a scrap of black ribbon. The sound of a throat being cleared behind him caused Lucius to turn, meeting Severus' raised eyebrow with one of his own.

'Even muggles take pride in their appearance sometimes, and we _are_ impersonating muggles, are we not?'

The statement took in Severus' own muggle attire, black jeans and a roll necked black sweater topped by a black leather trench coat. Severus grimaced.

'Well at least it's black, and these coats are at least long. Though why black leather Albus?' he added, looking over his shoulder at the aged wizard behind him, 'I didn't ask to look like an inner city gangster.'

Lucius chuckled darkly. Albus however, continued to delve into an inside pocket. The old wizard had opted for baggy corduroy trousers, boots and a somewhat garishly patterned jumper topped by a flat cap and a waxed jacket, giving off the air of an elderly farmer or fisherman. Both his companions were relieved to note that the costume served to hide most of his long hair and beard. With a final rummage, Dumbledore produced a battered map.

'Here we are my boys, best not be late.'

With that, he began to lead the way, Lucius and Severus in his wake.

Five minutes walk through the small town brought the three wizards into a small common opposite an enormous muggle supermarket. A perculiar smell wafted through the air, Severus' nose immediately began dissecting it into components. There was a sweet sugary element, ammonia definitely, petrol, no, wait, diesel. Excited people, that was certain, and pine sawdust, fresh paint, dampness, and some form of muggle made plastic compound, strong scent that one, and straw, hay….animals? Yes, those too..

Drawn from this review, he looked up and swallowed.

The three paused, joining a long queue of excited muggles, and the two dark wizards took in the scene before them.

A string of brightly painted lorries extended along the roadside, coloured lights along the tops and sides, lofty flags flying from the central ones. An articulated trailer with the words Ticket Office on it boasted a fold out awning and metal steps edged with cream painted railings, where the stream of customers bought tickets from two windows. Lucius watched a family group purchase their tickets and walk through a gate in the white painted fencing into a long foyer tent. Behind the lorries rose a small mountain of red and yellow tent, slick and gleaming with dewfall. Four king poles emerged through the quarters, the canvas covered framework which made up the top of the tent supported on tensioned wires between them. Gold cream and purple flags fluttered from each pole, catching the light from the strings of fairy lights which ran down the main guy wires to the ground within the compound. Severus estimated the tent to be about a hundred and twenty feet in diameter, and was suddenly impressed at the ingenuity of these muggles. And they built and took down this thing every week?

Lucius surreptitiously glanced along the side of the square compound where white caravans were visible behind sections of red metal fence. Some he wrinkled his nose at immediately, tiny shabby little things! Several, however, large fifth wheel trailers behind gleaming modern looking lorries… yes, those looked rather nice, one with ornate wrought metal steps and a porch way. He was rather pleased at having had the surreptitious foresight to have kept an eye on muggle transport, whilst magical travel was far more simple, Lucius had occasionally entertained the fantasy of the Dark Lord crossing a road and himself at the wheel of a gleaming American muggle truck…

For a moment he wondered whether the muggle driving licence he had obtained through a cunning disguise and several well placed Imperious curses would be useful.

Severus and Albus were a little surprised at the scheming grin passing over Lucius' aristocratic features.

After a surprisingly swift transaction at the ticket office, the wizards passed into the brightly lit entrance tent, paused whilst a suited muscular doorman clipped their tickets and stepped through the public entrance into the big top.

Tiered seating rose up around three quarters of the vast tent, separated by a wide gap from three rows of individual bucket seats surrounding the ring. Despite the darkness outside the space was brightly lit, frameworks of lighting on each pole and the words _Francisco's Carnival Circus_ picked out in fairy lights across the top of the ring doors. Deep red velvet curtains trimmed with gold hung enticingly at the ring entrance, a microphone on a stand to one side. A painted ring fence enclosed red and white ring boxes which marked the edges of the sawdust in the ring, which had a pattern picked out around the edges with darker reddish sawdust. In the darkness to the sides of the ring doors various props were visible before the bright light from concession booths selling popcorn, candyfloss and souvenirs engulfed them.

Severus and Lucius took their seats in the back row of the front view tiers and looked about for Albus. Both grimaced as the elderly wizard returned a few minutes later with three large bags of popcorn, which he distributed gleefully.

The lights darkened and the music started. A charivari of performers burst through the curtains in a multitude of cartwheels, flip flaps and acrobatics as Entry of the Gladiators echoed through the tent, and as each figure took a call from the ring boxes they continued a display of dizzying acrobatics before pausing to acknowledge the wild applause of the crowd. Slender pretty girls in flamenco gowns or spangled leotards and fishnets, muscular young men in tights, ridiculous looking august clowns and a dignified whiteface companion, swarthy faced Indian in fakir's robes and a cowboy.

As a tall confident figure in top hat and red tails announced the beginning of the show the ring emptied, only for a girl on a dapple grey horse in plumed harness to enter, performing a series of graceful acrobatics to the Thunder and Lightning Polka and finishing by jumping through a balloon [paper covered hoop] to great applause. Joined by two young men in tunics and breeches with an additional horse they formed a pyramid atop the two. The girl left, the two boys setting the horses following around the ring with a third, and gave a display of somersaulting from one to another, finished by a full twist lay out somersault from the front horse to the third.

As the horses cleared, lights drew the audiences attention to a lithe figure on a static trapeze high in the roof. A hand balancing on canes act followed, then a musical clown entrée, performing doves, six black Friesian horses in white and gold harness and feathers working at liberty to the Florentine March, and a slender girl working hula hoops with contortion. After an interval, in which a large cage was built up, the fakir returned with a troupe of Bengal tigers, followed by a high wire act, juggling clowns, ariel silks, a Joey pony and a flying trapeze act. A display of whip cracking, knife throwing and rope spinning followed an exotic animals presentation, then the performers returned for the finale, lining the ring to take their final calls to the tune of the Washington Post.

Albus picked a stubborn piece of popcorn from his beard and glanced at the two wizards on either side of him. Both were staring ahead, transfixed, looking rather like first years coming in for the sorting. He elbowed each in the ribs a few minutes later as the crowd was clearing.

'You evidently approve my boys, a fine hiding place.'

Lucius and Severus scowled at him. They were distracted however by a dark haired man heading towards them from the side of the ring doors. They watched as the man, slender yet compactly built, ran lightly up the tiers to meet them.

Albus waved cheerfully at the newcomer, whose face broke into a wide grin. The squib sat down next to the three and extended a hand.

'You two must be Lucy and Sev, I'm Octavius Carolli, better known as Tavvy, nice to meet you, but we'd better be headed somewhere where the walls are thicker to be discussing things.'

The two wizards looked shocked, both eventually shaking hands reluctantly. Octavius was leading them towards the now darkened ring doors when Lucius snorted.

'Thicker walls are hardly necessary with a simple privacy spell.'

Octavius turned and paused, his look cooling momentarily.

'True, Lucy, but as a squib it is far from simple. However, my caravan has several advantages over the stringers for a discussion, namely wards that Merlin would have difficulty breaking, heat, light, fire whiskey, and by the sound of it the kettle is just about boiled.'

Lucius was dismayed to note that they were headed for a small scruffy looking caravan next to a long striped tent in which horses were being rubbed down and fed. Catching his glance, Octavius added.

'That's the horse tent, horses sleep in there if the weather is too bad for them to be turned out, and they're groomed in there. We keep them in during the shows - they're fed and watered in the intervals and rubbed down and let out afterwards.'

He indicated a large enclosure behind the tent.

'They'll be out soon, its not likely to rain tonight.'

Unlocking the door of the caravan, he gestured the three wizards inside then followed them, shutting and locking the door afterwards. The interior was roughly the size of an average family house yet resembled a standard caravan interior, magically expanded and from the tingle of magic, heavily warded. A décor drawing deeply on that of a gypsy vardo was tempered by plainer furniture, gave off a comforting glow of warm reds, deep blue and pale gold and greens, combined to be homely and not in your face. Books lined a substantial percentage of the wall space, intermixed with trinkets, framed pictures and wizarding artefacts. An ornate fireplace was surrounded by mismatched yet handsome armchairs, a kitchen range sported a whistling kettle and smelt of stew. A curtained alcove led to a handsomely carved bed, a small door nearby concealed a bathroom. At the other end a large open trunk stood against a wall, a folding chair next to it. Spangled costumes in glowing colours hung from the wall, the battered trunk boasting various destination stickers on the outside, what appeared to be snapshots, some of them wizarding, on the inside of the lid, and by the propped mirror and jars of makeup, was evidently where Octavius got ready for the shows. An owl slept on a nearby perch.

Octavius took in the stunned looks of Lucius and Severus, and pushed them gently towards the fireplace where Albus had already seated himself in an armchair and was stroking one of several large Maine Coon type cats which slept on the hearthrug.

The squib swiftly carried the tray of tea things to the hearth and laid them on a footstool, smiling cheerfully.

'Now gentlemen, to business!!'


End file.
